17th AIRBORNE DIVISION
The division insignia is a golden talon on a circular black background. The black background signifies surprise. The talon signifies the seizing of golden opportunity through surprise.
[page 94]
COMMAND AND STAFF
Commanding General
| 25 Aug 44 | Maj. Gen. William M. Miley |
Assistant Division Commander
| 25 Aug 44 | Brig. Gen. John L. Whitelaw |
Artillery Commander
| 25 Aug 44 | Brig. Gen. Joseph V. Phelps |
Chief of Staff
| 25 Aug 44 | Col. Willard K. Liebel |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-1
| 25 Aug 44 | Lt. Col. Lewis R. Good |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-2
| 25 Aug 44 | Lt. Col. Lyle N. McAlister |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-3
| 25 Aug 44 | Lt. Col. Edwin J. Messinger |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-4
| 25 Aug 44 | Lt. Col. Charles W. Koester |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-5
| 29 Sep 44 | Lt. Col. Richard A. Norton |
Adjutant General
| 25 Aug 44 | Lt. Col. Gabe W. Lewis, Jr. |
Commanding Officer, 507th Parachute Infantry
| 25 Aug 44 | Col. Edson D. Raff |
Commanding Officer, 513th Parachute Infantry
| 25 Aug 44 | Col. James W. Coutts |
| 9 Apr 45 | Lt. Col. Ward Ryan |
Commanding Officer, 194th Glider Infantry
| 25 Aug 44 | Col. James R. Pierce |
[page 95]
STATISTICS
Chronology
| Activated | 15 April 1943 |
| Arrived ETO | 25 August 1944 |
| Arrived Continent (D+201) | 24 December 1944 |
| Entered Combat | 25 December 1944 |
| Days in Combat | 45 |
Casualties (Tentative)
| Killed | 564 |
| Wounded | 1,473 |
| Missing | 129 |
| Captured | |
| Battle Casualties | 2,166 |
| Non-Battle Casualties | 854 |
| Total Casualties | 3,020 |
| Percent of T/O Strength | 23.2 |
Campaigns
Rhineland
Ardennes
Central Europe
Individual Awards
| Distinguished Service Cross | 4 |
| Legion of Merit | 8 |
| Silver Star | 177 |
| Soldiers Medal | 5 |
| Bronze Star | 695 |
| Air Medal | 16 |
Prisoners of War Taken 17,344
COMPOSITION
507th Parachute Infantry [assigned 1 Mar 45 reorganization]
513th Parachute Infantry
193d Glider Infantry
194th Glider Infantry [disbanded 1 Mar 45 reorganization]
17th Parachute Maintenance Company
139th Airborne Engineer Battalion
224th Medical Company
155th Airborne Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
17th Airborne Division Artillery
680th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
681st Glider Field Artillery Battalion
464th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion [assigned 1 Mar 45 reorganization]
466th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
Special Troops [Headquarters activated 1 Mar 45 reorganization]
717th Airborne Ordnance Company
411th Airborne Quartermaster Company
517th Airborne Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Headquarters Company
Reconnaissance Platoon [assigned 1 Mar 45 reorganization]
Band
[page 96]
ATTACHMENTS
Armored
| 761st Tk Bn | 15 Jan 45-27 Jan 45 |
| Co C, 15th Tk Bn (6th Armd Div) | 31 Jan 45-7 Feb 45 |
| Br 6th Guards Armd Brig (Non-Div) | 27 Mar 45-3 Apr 45 |
Field Artillery
| 802d FA Bn (105mm How) | 3 Jan 45-5 Jan 45 |
Infantry
| 507th Parachute Infantry (Non-Div) | 27 Aug 44-1 Mar 45 (when became organic part of division) |
| 345th CT (87th Div) | 15 Jan 45-16 Jan 45 |
Tank Destroyer
| 811th TD Bn (SP) | 17 Jan 45-27 Jan 45 |
[page 97]
DETACHMENTS
(Attached to)
Field Artillery
| 681st Gli FA Bn | 95th Div | 5 Apr 45-13 Apr 45 |
Infantry
| 193d Gli Inf | 101st Abn Div | 3 Jan 45-7 Jan 45 |
| 193d Gli Inf | 101st Abn Div | 14 Jan 45-18 Jan 45 |
| 507th Prcht Inf | XIX Corps | 31 Mar 45-2 Apr 45 |
| 194th Gli Inf | 95th Div | 5 Apr 45-13 Apr 45 |
[page 97
ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO HIGHER UNITS
| DATE | CORPS | ARMY | ARMY GROUP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assigned | Attached | Assigned | Attached | ||
| 30 Jul 44 | Ninth | ETOUSA | |||
| 12 Aug 44 | XVIII Abn | (-) | |||
| 25 Dec 44 | XVIII Abn | 12th | |||
| 1 Jan 45 | VIII | Third | 12th | ||
| 26 Jan 45 | III | Third | 12th | ||
| 6 Feb 45 | III | First Allied Airborne | Third | (-) | |
| 10 Feb 45 | (-) | First Allied Airborne | |||
| 15 Feb 45 | XVIII Abn | First Allied Airborne | |||
| 24 Mar 45 | XVIII Abn | First Allied Airborne | 12th | ||
| 30 Mar 45 | XVIII Abn | First Allied Airborne | Ninth | 12th | |
| 31 Mar 45 | XIII | First Allied Airborne | Ninth | 12th | |
| 4 Apr 45 | XIII | First Allied Airborne | Ninth | 12th | (-) |
| 6 Apr 45 | XVI | First Allied Airborne | Ninth | 12th | |
| 7 Apr 45 | XVI | Ninth | (-) | 12th | |
| 25 Apr 45 | (-) | Ninth | Fifteenth | 12th | |
| 27 Apr 45 | XXII | Ninth | Fifteenth | 12th | |
[page 98]
COMMAND POSTS
| DATE | TOWN | REGION | COUNTRY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Aug 44 | Camp Chiseldon | Wiltshire | England |
| 24 Dec 44 | Camp Mourmellon | Marne | France |
| 28 Dec 44 | Charleville | Ardennes | France |
| 3 Jan 45 | Morhet | Luxembourg | Belgium |
| 15 Jan 45 | Celli | Luxembourg | Belgium |
| 17 Jan 45 | Bertogne | Luxembourg | Belgium |
| 19 Jan 45 | Compegne | Luxembourg | Belgium |
| 22 Jan 45 | Lavigny | Luxembourg | Belgium |
| 24 Jan 45 | Steinbach | Luxembourg | Belgium |
| 27 Jan 45 | Eschweiler | Luxembourg | |
| 29 Jan 45 | Enscherange | Luxembourg | |
| 11 Feb 45 | Chalon-sur-Marne | Marne | France |
| 24 Mar 45 | Wesel (2 kilometers north) | Rhineland | Germany |
| 28 Mar 45 | Peddenburg | Rhineland | Germany |
| 29 Mar 45 | Vulffen | Rhineland | Germany |
| 30 Mar 45 | Haltern | Rhineland | Germany |
| 1 Apr 45 | Dulmen | Westphalia | Germany |
| 3 Apr 45 | Appelhulsen | Westphalia | Germany |
| 4 Apr 45 | Munster | Westphalia | Germany |
| 6 Apr 45 | Marxloh | Rhineland | Germany |
| 8 Apr 45 | Bottrop | Rhineland | Germany |
| 10 Apr 45 | Essen | Rhineland | Germany |
| 21 Apr 45 | Marxloh | Rhineland | Germany |
[page 99]